Generating and managing decentralized identifiers

Abstract

The generation and management of decentralized identifiers of an entity. A decentralized identifier of a particular entity is recorded. Then, upon determining that the particular entity is granting a permission to another entity, the permission is signed based on the recorded decentralized identifier. As one example, the permission may be signed by a private key of the decentralized identifier. The permission may be verified upon request by authenticating the signed permission being associated with the recorded decentralized identifier; and authorizing the other entity to act upon the data depending on the authentication. As an example only, the authentication may occur using a public key associated with the recorded decentralized identifier.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62 / 620,300, filed on Jan. 22, 2018 and entitled “DECENTRALIZED IDENTITY PLATFORM,” and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62 / 626,564, filed on Feb. 5, 2018 and entitled “DECENTRALIZED IDENTITY PLATFORM,” wherein all of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND[0002]Most of currently used documents or records that prove identity are issued by centralized organizations, such as governments, schools, employers, or other service centers or regulatory organizations. These organizations often maintain every member's identity in a centralized identity management system. A centralized identity management system is a centralized information system used for organizations to manage the issued identities, their authentication credentials, authorizations, roles and privileges. Centralized identity management systems have been deemed as ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The principled described here allow entities to easily and automatically manage multiple decentralized identifiers, which in turn can control how, when and to whom those entities' data is revealed. Entities are freed from ongoing dependency on identity issuing institutions or any centralized authority to verify their own credentials. Entities not only own their own portable, private portfolio of their own records, but also prevent fraud and misrepresentation of official documents while allowing third party entities to quickly verify the authenticity and integrity of records and credentials presented to them. Entities may also define their own permissions under which the shared data can be used by a third-party entity, including but not limited to freedom to use, archive, re-sale, and backup.

Problems solved by technology

Also, unlike a centralized identifier management system, which controls each of entities' records, the decentralized identifier management system cannot reveal any record of an entity without the entity's permission.

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